Rack structure

ABSTRACT

A rack structure includes a bottom, a coupling member, and a side frame. The bottom has rod-shaped support members extending out from the circumference of the bottom. The coupling member has through holes for insertion of the support members. A distal end of each support member is provided with a stop block having an outer diameter greater than the through holes. The side frame has an accommodation room therein. One side of the side frame has an opening. The side frame has a pair of hook portions located at two sides of the opening and extending toward the accommodation room. The coupling member connected with the distal end of each support member is inserted through the opening into the accommodation room of the side frame. The hook portions of the side frame enable the coupling member to lean against the stop block of each support member tightly.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a rack for holding or storing things, and more particularly to a hard netted rack for holding or storing things.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 shows a conventional rack which is a basket composed of a plurality of crisscrossed hard rods 51. The distal ends 52 of the hard rods 51 are hooped with a side frame 53, and the distal ends 52 of the hard rods 51 are fixed to the side frame 53 respectively to ensure the stability of the basket.

Since the conventional rack is used as a daily article, the side frame 53 is simply fixed to the distal end 52 of each hard rod 51 in order to reduce the cost because of its simple structure and low sale price. It can be seen that although the distal ends 52 of the hard rods 51 are fixed to the side frame 53, the distal ends 52 of the hard rods 51 protrude out of the side frame 53 to form pointed ends. The user may be hurt by the pointed end, and the appearance is not pleasing to the eyes.

On the other hand, the distal ends 52 of the hard rods 51 are respectively fixed to the side frame 53 by glue or welding. Due to the large number of the hard rods 51, the connection of the hard rods 51 and the side frame 53 is a time-consuming and laborious job. Besides, the chance of personal negligence is high to affect the product yield.

Accordingly, the inventor of the present invention has devoted himself based on his many years of practical experiences to solve these problems.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a rack structure for holding or storing things. The rack structure includes a coupling member to connect support members at the same side of the bottom of the rack and a side frame to clamp and fix the coupling member. The rack can be assembled quickly. The distal end of each support member of the present invention is hidden in the side frame to enhance the safety of use and its appearance.

In order to achieve the aforesaid object, the rack structure of the present invention comprises a bottom, a coupling member, and a side frame. The bottom has a plurality of rod-shaped support members extending out from a circumference of the bottom. Each support member extends upward from the circumference of the bottom. Through arrangement of the support members and the bottom, a basket configuration is formed. The coupling member has a plurality of through holes. The support members are inserted through the corresponding through holes one by one. A distal end of each support member is provided with a stop block. The stop block has an outer diameter greater than the through holes. The side frame has a tubular shape to surround an accommodation room therein. One side of the side frame has an opening. The side frame has a pair of hook portions located at two sides of the opening and extending toward the accommodation room. The coupling member connected with the distal end of each support member is inserted through the opening into the accommodation room of the side frame. The hook portions of the side frame enable the coupling member to lean against the stop block of each support member tightly.

In an embodiment, the bottom comprises a plurality of rods arranged in a crisscross manner to form a configuration for holding or storing things. A portion of each rod, located at the circumference of the bottom, is configured to form the support member.

In an embodiment, the distal end of each support member is compressed to form the stop block.

In an embodiment, by compressing the side frame to move the hook portions, the hook portions enable the coupling member to lean against the stop block of each support member tightly.

In order to understand the present invention, embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a conventional rack;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the present invention;

FIG. 3a is a sectional view of the side frame of the present invention;

FIG. 3b is a sectional view of the coupling frame of the present invention; and

FIG. 4, FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 are schematic view showing the operation of the assembly of the present invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIG. 2 and FIG. 3, a rack in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention comprises a bottom 1 for holding or storing things. In this embodiment, the bottom 1 comprises a plurality of rods 11. The rods 11 are arranged in a crisscross manner to form a flat netted configuration. Two ends of each rod 1 extend to the circumferential portion of the bottom 1, defined as support members 2. Each support member 2 is bent to extend upward from the bottom 1. Accordingly, through the arrangement of the support members 2 and the bottom 1, a basket configuration is formed.

As shown in FIG. 3, the support members 2 at the same side of the bottom 1 are provided with a coupling member 3. As shown in FIG. 3 b, the coupling member 3 is in a strip shape. Two long sides of the coupling member 3 are defined as first wing portions 31. The two first wing portions 31 are curved downward. The coupling member 3 is formed with a plurality of through holes 32 corresponding to the support members 2. The support members 2 are inserted through the through holes 32 of the coupling member 3 one by one. After the distal end of each support member 2 pass through a corresponding one of the through holes 32 of the coupling member 3 as shown in FIG. 4, the distal end of each support member 2 is compressed until its outer diameter is greater than the through holes 32 so that the coupling member 3 won't disengage from the support members 2 because the through holes 32 are blocked by the stop block 21 of each support member 2 respectively.

The coupling member 3 is insertedly connected to a side frame 4 so as to connect each support member 2. In this embodiment, the side frame 4 is a square-like side frame. As shown in FIG. 3 a, the side frame 4 has a tubular shape to surround an accommodation room 41 therein. The side frame 4 has an opening 42 at a bottom thereof. The side frame 4 is formed with a pair of second wing portions 43 at two sides of the opening 42. The second wing portions 43 each extend toward the accommodation room 41 to form a hook portion 44.

As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 5, the side frame 4 faces downward to fit the coupling member 3. The coupling member 3 connected with the distal end of each support member 2 is inserted through the opening 42 into the accommodation room 41 of the side frame 4, and the two second wing portions 43 of the side frame 4 are located at the outer sides of the two first wing portions 31 of the coupling member 3. After that, the two second wing portions 43 of the side frame 4 are compressed and deformed to approach each other. The two hook portions 44 are moved to be located beneath the two first wing portions 31 of the coupling member 3 along with the movement of the two second wing portions 43. At this time, the caliber of the opening 42 is reduced until it is less than the width of the coupling member 3, such that the coupling member 3 won't disengage from the opening 42.

Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 6, the bottoms of the two second wing portions 43 are compressed upward to be deformed, and the two hook portions 44 are moved upward to hold against the two first wing portions 31 of the coupling member 3. At the moment, the coupling member 3 is pushed upward. Because the diameter of the through hole 32 is less than the stop block 21 of the support member 2, the coupling member 3 is blocked by the stop block 21. Therefore, the hook portions 44 of the side frame 4 enable the coupling member 3 to lean against the stop block 21 of each support member 2 tightly, so that the side frame 4, the coupling member 3 and each support member 2 are fixed.

Through the aforesaid structure and assembly, the distal end of each support member 2 of the present invention is hidden in the side frame 4. The side frame 4 remains a smooth surface, avoiding inadvertent bruising. In addition, the present invention has a neat simple appearance to improve the products. On the other hand, the present invention uses the coupling member 3 to connect the support members 2 at the same side of the bottom 1 and the side frame 4 to clamp and fix the coupling member 3 to secure all the support members 2 at a time. The assembly of the present invention is time-saving.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail for purposes of illustration, various modifications and enhancements may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention. Accordingly, the present invention is not to be limited except as by the appended claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A rack structure, comprising: a bottom, having a plurality of rod-shaped support members extending out from a circumference of the bottom, the support members extending upward toward a same side of the circumference of the bottom, through arrangement of the support members and the bottom, a basket configuration being formed; a coupling member, having a plurality of through holes, the support members being inserted through the corresponding through holes one by one, a distal end of each support member being provided with a stop block, the stop block having an outer diameter greater than the through holes; and a side frame, having a tubular shape to surround an accommodation room therein, one side of the side frame having an opening, the side frame having a pair of hook portions located at two sides of the opening and extending toward the accommodation room, the coupling member connected with the distal end of each support member being inserted through the opening into the accommodation room of the side frame, the hook portions of the side frame enabling the coupling member to lean against the stop block of each support member tightly.
 2. The rack structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bottom comprises a plurality of rods arranged in a crisscross manner to form a configuration for holding or storing things, and a portion of each rod, located at the circumference of the bottom, is configured to form the support member.
 3. The rack structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the stop block is compressed to form by the distal end of each support member.
 4. The rack structure as claimed in claim 1, wherein the hook portions enable the coupling member to lean against the stop block of each support member tightly been by compressing the side frame to move the hook portions. 